Semifinals are Set for the 2024 American Legion World Series

By: Roger Sigmon – Wise News Network

Shelby, NC (WNN) – Day four of the American Legion World Series (ALWS), 8-18-2024, was the final day of pool play, and by day’s end, four teams would move onto Monday evening’s semifinal round. Unfortunately, that means four teams would see their dreams of a World Series title fall short. Three games were on the schedule; however, five innings remained to be played from Saturday night’s rain-suspended game.

A good crowd was venturing to the ballpark on a warm, mostly sunny Sunday morning. The section where I was seated was filled with enthusiastic fans from Bossier City, Louisiana. The opposite side of the stadium contained fans just as excited from Billings, Montana. Both were anxious to resume the game suspended from the night before. The American flag in the center field still hung limply due to saturation from the storms that caused the suspension of the game. 

A suspended game picks up at the point where play was suspended, just like hitting pause on your DVR. Play resumed with an uneventful top of the second inning. The bottom half had plenty of action, and the fans were getting something to cheer about from both sides. Louisiana catcher Griffin Sibley rifled a ball to first base to pick off Cody Collis. Pitcher Jackson Jones issued three walks with two outs to load the bases. Montana began to smell a considerable inning; even the American flag in centerfield had dried out enough to start waving in the excitement. Kade Vatnsdal is thrown out by third baseman Britain Pipes, and Louisiana pitcher Jackson Jones escapes, leaving the bases loaded to end what could have been a massive at-bat for Montana.

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth. Jackson Jones started with a single to center field; a pitch hit Tucker McCabe, and Hudson Brignac drove in what would be the game’s only run as Jackson Jones crossed the plate. Blayne McFerren had one of those games where just a few inches would have given him two home runs. Instead, he settled for long outs. Two of his at-bats resulted in hard-hit smashes to centerfield. One was chasing the center fielder into the outfield wall. As fate would have it, the shortstop would have the opportunity to catch the final out in the top of the seventh, sealing a 1-0 victory for Louisiana. In the same inning, first baseman Easton Sanders made another outstanding major league-type defensive play. Diving to receive the throw to first, he had to dive, and as he lay on the ground, he had the presence of mind to tag first base with his glove. His quick thinking robbed Vatnsdal of a base hit. The win improved Louisiana to 1-1 and Montana to 0-2.

The second game of the day was the regularly scheduled game that would have been the first. Montana would be playing their second game of the day; this time, the opponent would be Midland, Michigan. Scoring came quickly in this one as Michigan jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The scoring began with Brice Smith drilling a single that scored Aidan Robinson. Mitchell Walters moves Smith into a scoring position with a successful bunt. He would go on to score on a sacrifice fly by Nathan Ball. Two stolen bases aided the scoring in the inning. At the top of the second inning, Montana would load the bases via Chase Wise, drawing a walk, Colter Wilson hitting a hot shot to shortstop, and a pitch hitting Michael Brew. Lady luck was not on their side, as they failed to get a timely hit to plate a run. Michigan, however, would find the going a bit easier in the bottom half of the inning as Jack Sequin would knock a double to deep center field, followed by Brice Smith landing a long fly ball deep into the right field corner for a double, allowing Sequin to score for a 3-0 lead. Montana would get on the board at the top of the fourth as Michael Brewer would single in Brady Randall, cutting the lead to 3-1. Michigan added another run in the bottom of the fourth with Ryan Louch scoring, extending the lead to 4-1. Montana would close the gap in the top of the six. Back-to-back walks, a single, and an error would draw them to within one run; however, that is where the rally would fall short; the final score was Michigan 4-3 over Montana. The loss ended Montana’s quest for a title run as they fell to a record of 0-3. Michigan won the “stripes” division with a record of 3-0 and became the first team to punch their ticket to the semifinals.

The other three spots would not be determined until the remaining two games are completed. The results of the previous game set up a do-or-die game for Louisiana and Delaware. Both entered the contest tied with records of 1-1, meaning the winner would advance as runners-up in the “stripes” division, and the loser would be eliminated from contention. This game met the expectations of two teams fighting for their playoff lives. 

The teams were deadlocked until the bottom of the third when Louisiana took a 1-0 lead with back-to-back singles by Griffin Silby and Jackson Jones. A successful double steal advanced both runners, and a sacrifice fly by Tucker McCabe drove in Silby for the go-ahead run. Delaware would answer back in the top of the fourth as a single by Aidan Kee would score Michael Smyth. Tre Villanova would cross the plate on a wild pitch, giving Delaware their first game lead, 2-1. Villanova ripped a sizzling single that was too hot to handle in the top of the fifth, driving in Michael Smyth for his second run of the night; Delaware was now up 3-1. Their breathing room quickly evaporates as Easton Sanders can cross Homeplate as catcher Ryan Timmons loses the ball as he attempts to apply the tag. Louisiana would leave two runners stranded and remain a run behind at 3-2, which would prove to be the final score. Delaware earned the runner-up spot and advanced to Monday’s semifinals. 

Entering into the highly anticipated matchup of the past two champions, three teams remained alive for the final two playoff spots. Fargo, North Dakota; Troy, Alabama; and League City, Texas. Many scenarios remained pending, not only the winner of the game but also runs allowed and runs scored in tiebreakers were to come into play. Fargo set on pins and needles as they awaited the outcome of the Texas v/s Alabama contest. Their entire season rode on what would happen over the next seven innings.

Alabama took an early lead, scoring 1-0 in the bottom of the second when Caden Collier’s double drove in Payne Jeffcoat. This would prove to be the only run needed, although Alabama was far from being finished with producing runs. Texas never mustered much of a threat, only recording three hits. Alabama was on their “A” game as they continued to plate runs. The bottom of the fifth saw Matt Snell double off the outfield wall, Caden Collier laid now a successful bunt, Cody Markham drives in Matt Snell, Gunner Justice singles to load the bases, Cody Walsh launches a rocket off the centerfield wall that would have made NASA proud, and a wild pitch allows Gunner Justice to extend the lead 5-0. The team from Troy would add another three runs in the bottom of the sixth to culminate in what many would consider an 8-0 upset.

If the stars align for these two to play a rematch on Tuesday night, look for a nailbiter to come down to the final out. A three-way tie was produced with Alabama’s victory over Texas. The tiebreaker used was the fewest runs allowed. Alabama allowed 6, Texas 13, and North Dakota 14 throughout pool play. North Dakota faced a heartbreaking elimination by the difference of one run. Alabama became champions of the “stars” division, and Texas dropped to the runner-up position.

The semifinals are single elimination, with the two winners facing off Tuesday night for the ALWS title. The matchups on Monday are Alabama v/s Delaware at 4 pm, followed by Michigan v/s Texas at 7 pm. Plenty of exciting baseball is left to be played, and these final three games should provide plenty of excitement.

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